Removable oven door and hinge assembly



Feb. 23, 1965 R. N. GASS 3,170,455

- REMOVABLE OVEN DOOR AND HINGE ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 7, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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Feb. 23, 1965 GASS REMOVABLE OVEN DOOR AND HINGE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 7, 1963 W W 2 m x F m M w w E PM W United States Patent 3,170,455 REMOVABLE OVEN DOOR AND HINGE ASSEMBLY Robert Norton Gass, Cleveland, Tenn, assignor to Hardwick Stove Company, Cleveland, Tenn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 256,946 12 Claims. (Cl. 126-494) This invention relates to removable door structures and more particularly to a removable oven door for gas and electric ranges and an improved hinge assembly for the door.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide an improved removable door and binge assembly which is more simple than prior structures and overcomes the deficiencies and disadvantages of such prior structures.

Anotherobjeot is to provide for quick and simple removal of the oven door from gas and electric cooking ranges, both free-standing and built-in. The removal of the door facilitates cleaning of the oven and the door.

Another and more specific object is to eliminate trigger-work as required with prior doors; also spring actuated members for holding the door during application or removal, and the necessity of fitting the door after the initial pull to release a catch.

Another object is to provide a door which is hinged on a horizontal axis and provided with a hinge holder which allows the door to be readily removed when in partially open position.

Another object is to provide a hinged door which is held against removal in all positions other than the partially open position in which the door is adapted to be removed.

Another and more specific object is to provide a pin which passes through an arcuate slot in the hinge holder attached to the door, and a slot opening from the arcuate slot with which the pin is adapted to be aligned by partially opening the door and which permits removal of the door by movement in a direction to disengage the hinge holder from the hinge support.

Another object is to provide a hinge assembly which will permit removal of the door in partially open position and which hinge assembly has fewer parts and requires fewer operations in removing and replacing the door.

Another object is to provide a removable door and hinge assembly which may be economically produced and which when the door is in place presents the same smooth exterior appearance as a conventional oven door.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it being understood that the invention is limited only within the scope of the appended claims and not to the particular embodiment selected for illustration.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of one form of range having a removable ovendoor and hinge assembly embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the hinge holder at one side of the oven door and the hinge mechanism for the door;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view showing the door and front frame of the oven in section; alsothe manner in which the hinge holder is attached tothe door and the hinge bracket, hinge member, hinge support and other parts;

FIGURE '4 is a top View of the hinge bracket;

FIGURE 5 is a front viewof the hinge bracket;

3,1?0A55 Patented Feb. 23, 1965 "ice FIGURE 6 is a side view of the hinge holder;

FIGURE 7 is a view of the hinge holder looking toward what when'installed is the inner member thereof;

FIGURE 8 is a bottom view of the hinge holder;

FIGURE 9 is an outer side view of the hinge member;

FIGURE 10 is a view of the front or outer end of the hinge member;

FIGURE 11 is a side view of the hinge support; and

FIGURE 12 is a bottom view of the hinge support.

Referring now to the drawings, the range 10 shown in FIGURE 1 has an oven cavity 11 and a rectangular front opening defined by a front frame 12.

The oven door 14 is preferably, although not necessarily, a door of the swing-down type which is pivoted near its lower end. The door 14 comprises a door lining 15 and an outer panel 16. 7

Within the door, structure at its respective lower corners there is a fixed hinge holder or slide-way 17 one of which is shown in FIGURE 2. The hinge holder 17 comprises members 95, 96 and 97 of steel or other rigid structural material. The members and 96 have outer flanges 98 and 99 suitably secured together and inner flanges 160 and 101 to'which the member 97 is suitably secured. The lower end of the member 95 has an outstanding flange 21. The hinge holder 17 is attached to the oven door lining 15; for example, by rivets 22 passing through openings 23 in the flanges and 101 and in the member 97. The outer door panel 16 is in turn attached to the assembly by means of welded spacers and metal screws coacting, for example, with threaded openings 24 in the flanges 21.

The oven door 14 with its door lining 15 and front panel 16 and the hinge holders 17 at its respective lower corners constitutes a complete door unit.

A hinge bracket 25 is secured, for example, by screws or bolts 26 to the oven wall 27 at each side thereof. The brackets 25 are offset away from the oven Walls at the sides as at 28 and their forward ends have flanges 29 secured to the front frame 12 by bolts 3i) and nuts 31. At their inner ends the brackets 25 have inwardly extending flanges 32 to which clock springs 34 are secured at 35 for a purpose which will be hereinafter pointed out.

Hinge supports 38 are bolted at 39 to the offset portions' 28 of the brackets 25 and project through openings 40 in the front frame 12. Each hinge member 45 has an arcuate portion 46 extending through an opening 47 in the from frame 12; also through a slot 70 in the flange 29 of the hinge bracket 25 and through an opening 48 in the door lining 15. Integral with the outer ends of the arcuate portions 46 are portions 50 which are elongated vertically in the closed position of the door 14 and these elongated portions 50 are disposed within the hinge holder channels 49.

At their lower ends the elongated portions 50 have members 52 attached thereto and forming spaces 53 which are saddled over the offset outer ends 54 of the hinge supports 38. The lower ends of the elongated portions 50 of the hinge members 45 are pivoted to the offset outer ends 54 of .the hinge supports 38 by tubular rivets 55. The bottom of the door 14 has openings 56 which in removing the door pass upwardly over the outer ends of the hinge supports 38 and the elongated portions 50 as well as the pivots 55 and pins 53 one at each side of the door.

The tubular rivets 55 constituting the pivots for the.

the flanges 98 and 100 and through an arcuate slot 65 in the elongated portion 50 of the hinge member 45. The hinge holder 17 has a slot 67 which is disposed generally vertically and opens from the arcuate slot 64 when the door is opened to approximately 15 (broil position) as regulated by the notch 74 in the hinge member and the metal roller 72.

When the door 14 is opened to approximately 15 (broil position) as shown in full lines in FIGURE 3 the friction caused by the clock spring 34 fulcrum of the metal roller 72 carried thereby overcomes the tension created by a tension spring 73 and urges the roller 72 into a notch 74 in the inner end of the arcuate portion of the hinge member 45 to hold the door at rest in its 15 or partially open position. The spring 73 coacts with the hinge member 45 at 75 and acts to bias the door 14 to closed position. The other end of the spring '73 is anchored at a suitable location within the range body as shown, for example, at 76 in FIGUREL,

The member 97 of the hinge holder 17 has a slot 80 disposed longitudinally therein and opening from the bot tom of said member as shown in FIGURE 7. The arcuate portion 46 of the hinge member 45 extends through this slot 80 when the elongated portion 50 of the hinge member 45 is positioned within the channel 49 of the hinge holder 17,. The bolt 30 passes through an opening 82 in the hinge holder 17 and an opening in the flange 29 of the hinge bracket 25.

When in closed position the oven door 14 is disposed vertically as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 3 and closes the oven opening formed by the front frame 12. Any suitable handle 84 is provided on the door 14 to facilitate operation of the door between its vertical closed position and its open positions.

Removal of the door 14 from therange may be easily accomplished in the following manner. The door is first opened to approximately 15 or broil position regu-- lated by the notch 74 in the hinge member 45 and the metal roller 72. The friction caused by the clock spring 34 fulcrum of the roller 72 overcomes the tension created by the spring 73 and holds the door 14 at rest in the 15 or partially open position.

In this position of the door 14 the shoulder pin 53 attached to the hinge support 38 and protruding through the arcuate slot 64 in the hinge holder 17 aligns with the generally vertical slot 67 opening from the arcuate slot 64 and from the bottom of the hinge holder 17. One then simply grasps the door 14 with both hands and lifts upwardly at the aforesaid 15 angle until the hinge holder 17 affixed to the door 14 disengages the hinge. In this movement the generally vertical slot 67 moves up end of the hinge holder 17 engages the upper end 92 of of the elongated portion 50 of the hinge member 45. This establishes the effective length of the hinge holder 17 and properly positions the door 14 when it is applied to the range;

The embodiment of the invention disclosed in the drawings and specification is for illustrative purposes only,

i and it is to be expressly understood that said drawings over the pivot and up over the pin 58 and the door openings 56 pass upwardly at the indicated angle over the outer ends of the hinge supports 38 and the elongated portion 5%) of the hinge member 45 as well as the pivot 55 and pin 58 at the side of the door.

The door is conveniently replaced by merely a reverse procedure. In other words, the door is disposed at the desired angle and the slot 80 in the hinge holder 17 is passed downwardly over the arcuate portion 46 of the hinge member 45 and the generally vertical slot 67 moves downwardly at the angle mentioned over the pin 58 and the pivot 55 to the position shown in FIGURE 3. With door thus replaced the door is closed or opened beyond the partially open position as shown in FIGURES by move ment about the pivot 55. As the door 14 is closed or opened beyond the partially open position as shown in FIGURE 3, the pin 58 travels in the arcuate slot 64 and prevents removal of the door except in the approximately 15 or partially open position. i

The inner end of the hinge member 45 has a second notch 86 into which the roller 72 is urged by the clock spring, 34 to establish the door in closed position.

In replacing-1 th: door 14,.the flange 90 at the upper and the specification are not to be construed as a definition of the limits or scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for that purpose.

I claim:

1. In combination, a structure defining an opening, a door for closing said opening, a hinge holder attached to said door and having a channel portion elongated parallel to the plane of the door, and a hinge member pivoted to said structure and having an elongated portion at its outer ends disposed within the channel portion of said hinge holder, and a pin attached to said structure and project ing through an arcuate slot in said hinge holder, said hinge holder having a slot opening from said arcuate slot with which said pin aligns in a partially open position of said door to permit removal of the door by movement in the direction of elongation of said channel and said elongated portion to disengage the hinge holder from the elongated portion of said hinge member.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the pin when not in alignment with the slot opening from the arcuate slot is positioned'within the arcuate slot and prevents removal of said door.

3. In combination, a structure defining an oven cavity with a front opening defined by a front frame, a swingdown type door having a vertical position closing said front opening, a hinge holder attached to said door and having an inner wall, said inner wall having a slot disposed longitudinally therein and opening from the bottom of said wall, a hinge member having arcuate portion extending through an opening in said front frame and an elongated portion at its outer end disposed within a channel formed by said hinge holder and pivoted at its lower end to said structure,. and a pin attached to said structure and passing through an arcuate slot in said hinge holder, said hinge holder having a slot disposed generally vertically and opening from said arcuate slot with which said pin aligns partially open position of said door to permit removal of the door by lifting the same upwardly at the angle the door is disposed in said partially open position until the hinge holder disengages said hinge member.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein the pin when not in alignment with the slot opening from the arcuate slot is positioned within the arcuate slot and prevents removal of the door.

5 A removable oven door and hinge assembly comprising an oven door having a hinge holder attached to same, said hinge holder having a channel portion elongated parallel to the plane of the door, a pivoted hinge member havlng an elongated portion at its outer end disposed within the channel portion of said hinge holder, and a pin extending through an arcuate slot in said hinge holder, said hinge holder having a slot opening from said arcuate slot with which said pin aligns in a partially open position of said door to permit removal of the door by move ment in the direction of elongation of ,said channel and elongated portion to disengage said hinge holder from the elongated portion of said hinge member. 6. A removable oven door and binge assembly according to claim 5, wherein the oven door has a door lining and anouter panel, said hinge holder being attached to the door lining with the outer panel attached tothe asis carried by a hinge support projecting through-an openall ing in a front frame and the hinge member has a portion also passing through an opening in said front frame.

8. In combination, a structure defining an oven cavity with a front opening defined by a front frame, a sWingposed longitudinally, therein and opening from the bottom of said wall, a hinge member having an arcuate portion' extending through an opening 'in said front frame and an elongated portionat its outer end disposed within a channel formed by said hinge holder and pivoted at its lower end to said structure, a pin attached to said structure and passing through an arcuate slot in said hinge holder, said hinge holder having a slot disposed generally vertically and opening from said arcuate slot with which said pin aligns in partially open position of said door to permit removal of the door by lifting the same upwardly at the angle the door is disposed in said partially openposition until the hinge holder disengages said hinge member, the inner end of said arcuate portion of said Q projecting through an opening in said front frame, a hinge holder attached to said door and having an inner wall, said inner wall having a slot disposed longitudinally therein and opening from the bottom of said wall, a hinge member having an arcuate portion extending through openings in said front panel'and said door lining and a having an elongated portion at its outer end disposed withhinge member having a notch therein, a roller, and a clock spring fulcrum urging said roller into said notch to hold the door at rest in partially open position.

9. In combination, a structure defining an oven cavity with a front opening defined by a front frame, a swingdown type door having a vertical position closing said front opening, a hinge holder attached to said door and having an inner wall, said inner wall having a slot disposed longitudinally therein and opening from the bottom of said wall, a hinge member having an arcuate portion extending through an opening in said front frame and an elongated portion at its outer end disposed within a channel formed by said hinge holder and pivoted at its lower end to said structure, a pin attached to said structure and J passing through an arcuate slot in said hinge holder, .said

hinge holder having a slot disposed generally vertically and opening from said arcuate slot with which said pin aligns in partially open position of said door to permit removal of the door by lifting the same upwardly at the angle the door is disposed in said partially open position until the hinge holder disengages said hinge member, a tension spring coacting with said hinge member and acting to bias said door to closed position, the inner end of said arcuate portion of said hinge member having a first notch therein, a roller, a clock spring fulcrum for urging said roller into said first notch to hold the door at rest in partially open position, and a second notch in said hinge member into which said roller is urged to establish the door in closed position. i

10. In combination, an oven having an oven wall and a front opening defined by a front frame, an oven door having a door lining and an outer panel, a hinge bracket secured to the oven wall on the side and to said front frame, a hinge support attached to said hinge bracket and in a channel formed by said hinge holder and pivoted at its lower end to said hinge support, a pin attachedto said hinge support and passing through an arcuate'slot in said hinge holder, said hinge holder having a slot disposed generally vertically and opening from said arcuate slot with which said pin aligns in partially open position of said door to permit removal of the door by lifting the same upwardly at the angle the door is disposed in said partially open position until the hinge holder channel disengages said hinge member, the inner end of said arcuate portion of said hinge member having a notch therein, a roller, and a clock spring fulcrum for urging said roller .into said notch to hold the door at rest in partially open position.

11. In combination, an oven having an oven wall and projecting through an opening in said front frame, a

hinge holder attached to said door and having an inner wall, said inner wall having a slot disposed longitudinallyv therein and opening from the bottom of said wall, a hinge member having an arcuate portion extending through openings in said'front panel and said door lining and having an elongated portion at its outer end disposed within a channel formed by said hinge holder and pivoted at its lower end to said hinge support, and a pin extending through an arcuate slot in said hinge holder, said hinge holder having a slotopening from said arcuate, slot with which said pin aligns in a partially open position of said door to permit removal of the door by movement in a direction to disengage said hinge holder from said hinge member.

12. The combination according to claim 11, wherein the oven door has a door lining and an outer panel, said hinge holder being attached to the door lining with the outer panel attached to the assembly and constituting a complete door unit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES- PATENTS 2,334,951 11/43 Parke et a1. 16-171 2,873,737 2/59 Sherman 126--l91 3,003,495 10/61 Coultrip 126l94 JAMES WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A STRUCTURE DEFINING AN OPENING, A DOOR FOR CLOSING SAID OPENING, A HINGE HOLDER ATTACHED TO SAID DOOR AND HAVING A CHANNEL PORTION ELONGATED PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF THE ROTOR, AND A HINGE MEMBER PIVOTED TO SAID STRUCTURE AND HAVING AN ELONGATED PORTION AT ITS OUTER ENDS DISPOSED WITHIN THE CHANNEL PORTION OF SAID HINGE HOLDER, AND A PIN ATTACHED TO SAID STRUCTURE AND PROJECTING THROUGH AN ARCUATE SLOT IN SAID HINGE HOLDER, SAID HINGE HOLDER HAVING A SLOT OPENING FROM SAID ARCUATE SLOT WITH WHICH SAID PIN ALIGNS IN A PARTIALLY OPEN POSITION OF SAID DOOR TO PERMIT REMOVAL OF THE FLOOR BY MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTION OF ELONGATION OF SAID CHANNEL AND SAID 